Newsletter
Newsletter Support JNS

Gaza ‘chief rabbi’ exposes Jewish illiteracy of suspected Turkish-run ‘Chassidic’ group

The parody account has sent messages to many anti-Zionist figures, revealing a lack of knowledge of Judaism and the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

Typing on computer keyboard
Computer keyboard. Credit: Thomas Breher/Pixabay.

A parody social media account purporting to be Rabbi Linda Goldstein, the ultra-liberal, non-existent “chief rabbi of Gaza,” showed screenshots on Jan. 2 of an interaction with an associated account of Torah Jews, which purports to be an anti-Zionist organization affiliated with the Satmar sect.

The person running Goldstein’s account has previously sent private messages to several well-known anti-Zionist figures and publicized their responses, which reveal a startling lack of knowledge of some of the basics of Judaism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (In this instance, the “Authentic Jew” account, that is associated with “Torah Jews,” contacted Goldstein first.)

Critics have previously accused Torah Jews of being fronted by non-Jews operating in hostile foreign countries, including Turkey.

The screenshots posted on Goldstein’s account show the “rabbi” soliciting a donation to her OnlyFans page to help pay for her temple’s lease in Gaza and asking the Authentic Jew account, which says it is aligned with Torah Jews, whether he is based in Turkey.

Upon receiving a response that Authentic Jew is based in Brooklyn and confirming that it is a Chassidic Jews, Goldstein, posing as a Brooklyn resident, asked if her new follower went to Yeshiva Ahevet Banot, which is Hebrew for “Yeshiva of the Love of Girls.”

The Authentic Jew account said that it did not but assured Goldstein that the school is a “Viznitz” school, meaning one that follows in the tradition of the rabbinic dynasty of Viznitz in present-day Ukraine.

Goldstein offered to provide Torah Jews with her connections at Yeshiva Bul-Bul Ketana, a made up institution whose Hebrew name suggests an obscene reference.

Apparently unaware of the mischief, the Authentic Jew account reiterated the importance of social media connections, and Goldstein offered to introduce Authentic Jew to the head of Yeshiva Bul-Bul Ketana, requesting that the message come from the Torah Jews account.

A subsequent message arrived from the Torah Jews account, indicating that the person had access to both accounts.

Goldstein’s account, which is littered with references to extreme anti-Israel propaganda and positions, previously duped the office of U.N. adviser Francesca Albanese, who has a long history of antisemitic and anti-Israel statements. Goldstein solicited an honorarium for Albanese to speak on the “morality of Intifada” at the student encampment at Columbia University last spring.

Barbara Feingold, a board member at the Republican Jewish Coalition, which spent $5 million supporting Gallrein who defeated Massie, told JNS that voters “don’t want someone who is a blatant antisemite.”
Deena Margolies, of the Brandeis Center, told JNS that antisemitism in healthcare is a bigger problem than a single union or doctor and is becoming “normalized.”
Four Republicans voted with nearly every Democrat to discharge the war powers resolution calling for U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw American forces from hostilities with Iran.
“I would like to see something that says, ‘And here’s what’s going to be there instead,’” Rep. Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, told JNS.
In a report delivered to the U.N. Security Council, the board says the terrorist organization’s refusal to give up its weapons remains “the principal obstacle to full implementation” of the Gaza ceasefire.
“Over time, the members of the Congress, both houses, both parties, are going to understand that this is a cost that is not only affordable but absolutely a necessary investment,” Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, told JNS.